Watch holder for vehicle dashboards and the like



R. A. OLSON Aug. 19, 1958 WATCH HOLDER FOR VEHICLE DASHBOARDS AND THE LIKE Filed March 3, 1955 Fig.5.

Fig.5;

INVENTOR REUBEN ,4. 0450 y TORNEYS WATCH HOLDER FOR VEHICLE DASHBOARDS AND THE LIKE Reuben A. Glson, Oakland, Calif.

Application March 3, 1955, Serial No. 491,808

Claims. (Cl. 248-195) This invention relates to devices for releasably securing one object to another, and is more specifically directed towards a small device capable of releasably mounting a watch or the like on the instrument panel of a vehicle, or on any other suitable surface.

Although the present invention will be hereinafter described with the foregoing specific use in mind, it will be readily appreciated that the holder of the present invention is equally well adapted to mount other small articles on a supporting surface, whether a dashboard, vertical surface or horizontal surface.

In many instances it is desirable to provide a quick ready mounting for small items such as pocket watches so as to permit their substantially instantaneous installation on a supporting member and conversely permit a rapid removal therefrom for winding of the watch or for carrying the same in the persons pocket. It will be readily appreciated that such a mounting should not assume the more conventional forms such as hanging or the like, and it should likewise be understood that the mounting means must itself be removable from the supporting surface and require no drilling or damage in order to install the same on the surface.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a supporting device by means of which a watch or other article may be releasably supported on a surface such as a vehicle dashboard.

Another object of the invention is to provide a holding device of the character described which may be readily attached to or removed from a supporting surface without damage to the surface and without requiring any special tools or complicated installation processes.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described which is capable of conforming to a regular or irregular surface, whereby the same may be utilized for mounting an irregularly shaped article on a non planar supporting surface.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by the said drawing and description may be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

Referring to said drawing:

Figure l is a perspective view of the holder of the present invention in operative position on a vehicle dashboard.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially in the plane indicated by line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the holding device.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2 but illustrating a modified form of holding device.

Figure 5 is another view similar to Figures 2 and i and illustrating a still further embodiment.

Patel As hereinaboveexplained, the device of the present invention is adapted for releasable mounting on a supporting surface, and is likewise adapted to support an article such as a Watch on another portion thereof, whereby the general plane of the supported article is angularly related to the general plane of the supporting surface. This is particularly advantageous in dealing with horizontally disposed supporting surfaces so that a person positioned remote from such surface will have ready visibility to the general plane of the article being supported. As shown in the drawing, the device is shown in operative position on a horizontally disposed portion of a vehicle instrumentpanel 12 and is seen to support a small pocket watch 13 at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the plane of such portion. In this manner, the watch 13 may be readily viewed by the occupant of the vehicle and by positioning the same adjacent the instruments on the vertically disposed portion of the vehicle panel, the watch will be illuminated for easy night reading. Also, in view of the fact that the device is readily removable and detachable to the dash, the occupant of the vehicle may readily place the device, and consequently the watch, in the most convenient position for ready observation.

The holding or supporting device includes a generally triangular-shaped mass of clay which comprises the body 14- of the holder. The clay may be of any conventional type which is capable of maintaining its plasticity over extended periods of time. By virtue of the triangular shape of the opposed faces of the mass, the body 14 will be seen to include an article supporting surface 16 of generally rectangular form, a lower supporting surface 17 disposed approximately 45 degrees from the surface 16 and adapted to rest on the dashboard or the like, and a rear surface 18 connecting the surfaces 16 and 17. These three surfaces cooperate to define the opposed faces 19 and 21 of the body. Thus, it will be readily understood that if the surface 17 is adhesively secured to the vehicle dashboard or other supporting surface, the surface 16 will be angularly related thereto and adapted to adhesively secure a watch or other article in angularly disposed relationship to the plane of the supporting dashboard surface. Also, by virture of the fact that the clay is of a plastic consistency, it will be understood that the same is capable of being deformed to adhere to even an irregular surface. Likewise, as the clay has these characteristics, a watch or other relatively delicate mechanism may be supported thereon without danger of darri age to the operating mechanism of the watch. This of course depends to a large extent on the inherent resiliency of the clay and its ability to absorb normal vibrations and shocks.

It is preferable and desirable to provide some covering for at least a portion of the clay for several reasons. First of all, it has been found that with a substantially rigid covering, the clay will tend to remain in its desired triangular form. Aside from the form retaining characteristics, a covering is desirable so as to permit the user to handle the clay without the persons fingers coming into contact therewith. Accordingly, as an important feature of the present invention I have provided a generally U-shaped retainer 26 having leg portions 27 and 28 adapted to overlie the main portion of the faces 19 and 21. The bridge portion 2% connecting the legs 27 and 28 is of curvate form and adapted to overlie the clay portion 18. It will be noted that the legs 27 and 28 diverge towards their distal ends so as to generally conform to the surface on which they are adjacent. Thus, by means of the plate 26 the operator may readily grasp the unit Without engaging the clay itself. It will likewise be appreciated that by making the member 26 out of a metal or plastic form, for example, one of the phenol aldehyde resins, the clay will be maintained in its general configuration as illustrated in the drawing.

The exact dimensions of the plate 26 are not critical so long as there remains a sufficient distance between the edges of the legs and the surfaces 16 and 17 of the clay body to permit the latter to engage the surface or article to which the device is to be adhered without interference from the retaining holder.

In Figure 4 a slightly modified form of holder is provided in which the legs 27 and 28 are provided with a plurality of apertures 36. As will be understood, these apertures will permit clay to enter therein and thereby a firm locking effect will be obtained between the clay and holder.

A further embodiment is disclosed in Figure 5 of the drawing in which portions of the legs are struck inwardly so as to form tabs or fingers 4-1. These fingers will likewise serve to assist in locking the holder to the clay body.

Notwithstanding the foregoing embodiments, it has been found that by having the holder formed with some natural resiliency, and by forming the same with the legs curved slightly inwardly towards each other, there is sufficient adhesive force in the clay so as to effectively prevent any material displacement. However, the holder does serve a very useful purpose in preventing undue displacement of the clay, particularly when the user may press too strongly in adhesively securing the device to the supporting surface or in forcing an article to be supported on one of the surfaces of the clay.

What is claimed is:

1. A device of the character described comprising a substantially prismatic body, said body being formed of a plastic clay material for adhesion to other surfaces and being of a substantially permanent pliant nature, one face of said body being adapted for releasable engagement with a supporting surface and an angularly related face being adapted for releasable engagement with an article to be supported, a substantially rigid U-shaped retainer member overlying a third face of said body and extending along the opposed faces thereof adjacent the edges of the other faces.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which said member is provided with legs covering the greater portion of the exposed surface area of said body faces, and spaced out adjacent to said first two mentioned surfaces.

3. Holding device comprising a mass of clay in soft and plastic form, said mass being of a nature to retain its plasticity over extended periods of time and having opposed faces of a generally triangular configuration and a plurality of angularly related faces therebetween, a relatively rigid retaining member of U-shaped configuration having a web portion overlying one of said faces and leg portions overlying each of said opposed faces, said leg portions of said member being of generally diverging form and approximating the configuration of said faces, the edges of said leg portions being spaced from but adjacent to the edges of the other faces of said clay mass.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 in which said member is provided with a plurality of apertures in the 7 legs thereof and clay extending into said apertures.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 including a plurality of projections extending inwardly from the legs of said member and embedded in said clay mass.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 263,695 Glover Sept. 5, 1882 729,923 Ellis June 2, 1903 1,339,833 Saltmarsh et a1. May 11, 1920 2,193,390 Bussert Mar. 12, 1940 2,247,604 Christman July 1, 1941 2,450,927 Allen Oct. 12, 1948 2,475,923 Suich July 12, 1949 2,684,820 Korn July 27, 1954 

